Littoral Combat Ships (LCS)
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
Jura The idiot
General
That's precisely what these vessels need. And the Naval Strike Missile has a range out to a couple of hundred kilometers when ship launched. That is a good solution.
I've always wondered why the USN didn't use some of the space of the LCS designs to install even eight or four AShMs... surely they have the space for it, and it isn't like they haven't contracted out more complex redesigns or refits on ships before. Even if they intended for the ship to "only" do littoral missions, I wouldn't have slept well at night knowing they don't even have at least some kind of credible ship killing ability.
I suppose the big question is how much money it would take to either redesign the LCSs for such a missile load, and/or how much it would take to change the existing LCSs to accommodate such weapons. I also wonder if the inclusion of such weapons may impact the other missions the LCS was meant to do.
But even if the LCSs had to sacrifice a capability like ASW or mine hunting for those many AShMs it would still be a good trade -- they would effectively be the ultimate missile boat, with long range, endurance, impressive missile count, as well as two helicopters. Much more high intensity warfare oriented.
Edit: I just realized their independence redesign shows two 6 shot missile launchers right next to the bridge and inside the superstructure!! Gosh, I wonder if that's sensible... who came up with that particular placement., jeez.
Jura The idiot
General
I don't think so, because ... it's Norwegian! (the design, the missile) well, I'm not an American
but one of my hobbies is naval history (beginning with the 1906 Dreadnought though) so I know every Major Navy of the World has been proud of its ships, weapons, tactics etc. if you know what I'm saying
TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
In this case Bliz the location specified on the model is not actually in use on current independence class and I believe is intended for just that mission set.
TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
I don't think so, because ... it's Norwegian! (the design, the missile) well, I'm not an American
true but production for USN missiles would likely be licensed to a American missile plant. And for the record the US already uses a few Norwegian missile systems. In particular around DC. The SLAMRAAM air defense missile deployed around the Capital are used in Norwegian designed 6 shot launchers in a system called NASAMS. The original meaning of that acronym being Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missiles System the US version though is the National Advanced Surface to Air Missiles System. They even reuse the acronym.
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Jura The idiot
General
Are those operated by the US Navy??
TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
Considering its DC hard to say, my gut would say National Guard. But then again it could be joint service. I am not really sure.
Pointblank
Senior Member
The US Navy has been deleting anti ship missile launchers from many of their surface fleet units; the Burke's for the most part lost their Harpoon missiles, and so have the Perry's.
Part of the issue is the increasingly obsolesce of the Harpoon missile, and the limited life of the existing Harpoon missile stock. The Navy probably made the decision that because the Harpoon missile will leave the fleet probably by the end of the decade, there is no point in integrating Harpoon onto LCS, when LCS already has a anti-shipping capability with the embarked SH-60's, and when the future mission package becomes available.